The present invention relates in general to digital-to-current convertors, and in particular to a new and useful voltage pulse to current regulating convertor which is capable of converting digital information for example from a microprocessor, into analog information which can be supplied for example to a two-wire 4-20 mA transmission system.
Two-wire analog transmission systems are well known. Such systems include a transmitter which is connected to a power supply by two wires which form a current loop. The transmitter includes, as at least one of its features, a transducer which senses a condition such as pressure or temperature. This condition is known as a process variable (PV).
A power supply is connected to the two wires to close the current loop. It is also conventional to provide a resistor in the current loop. The transmitter amplifies the signal from its transducer and this amplified signal is used to draw a certain current from the power supply which is proportional or otherwise related to the process variable. It is conventional to draw from a minimum of 4 (mA) to a maximum of 20 mA. The current between 4 and 20 mA passes through the resistor to produce a voltage drop across the resistor. This voltage drop can be measured to give a value for the process variable.
It is noted that the 4 mA minimum current is required to energize the circuitry of the transmitter. Any excess current above this 4 mA level is taken as a value which can be used to determine the process variable.
It is known that such 4-20 mA two-wire systems have an accuracy which is limited to around 0.1% at best. These systems are also essentially unidirectional with the transmitter being essentially uncontrolled and transmitting continuously.